Breathless
by hand-made-city
Summary: She was watching his back and he was going crazy. How could she take his breath away so easily? 10 Royai themes
1. Money

A/N: I'm slowly getting back into writing, after a long period of writer's block (almost two years).... I chose to do 20 Themes in order to test the waters and get back into the habit of writing more! Wish me luck!

_1. Money_

Money was never an issue when he was out on the town with a new woman. Flowers, chocolates, jewels— anything at all without a single sentiment attached to it would make a girl melt at his fingertips. He wasn't a rich man, but had little else to spend his money and attention on. And so in this way, he kept himself occupied on nights where he would in any other situation have been lying lonely at home, pining after a woman with lethal red eyes that made him sick with desire.


	2. Dark

A/N: This chapter is manga-centric! Sorry they're so short! Like I said, writer's block destroyed me. T_T

_2. Dark (Manga-centric)_

It had been more than an average night for Riza Hawkeye. In fact, it had been stressful enough to send her heart racing at the slightest flicker in the corner of her eye. Pride had at last revealed himself to the stricken lieutenant, and she was utterly alone, stuck in a dangerous limbo. Only she knew what would happen if she stepped one foot out of line and into the darkness. The shadows would consume her, leaving not a trace behind.

And then he called, and the darkness settled deep into her heart, to be saved for another day.


	3. Change

A/N: This time it's related to the FMA movie! And a tiny portion hints at a few events in the manga. It's so subtle though, so I probably shouldn't even bother talking about it. ^^

Wow, I'm really bad at writing good scenes…

_3. Change_

Amestris was a country due for a major overhaul. The military power had been in place since the birth of the nation, and every inch of it was corrupt from the get-go. Roy Mustang was the perfect candidate to take over the position of Fuehrer, and was in the ideal position to take that charge, now that King Bradley had been exposed and defeated.

Instead, he left it all behind, leaving his most trusted subordinates in sorrowful disarray as their homeland lifted its head from the cloud of dust and rose from the ashes.


	4. Simple

_4. Simple_

Their relationship is casual, like the sky is blue. No bells and whistles—they simply enjoyed each other's company. When you live your life serving in the military, simple is best. Simple minds, simple hearts, simple obedience. Every morning, she'd pass his desk and smile at him. He'd offer a smile in return, watching her as she took her place in the office. At times, his eyes wouldn't look away.

Sometimes, things weren't as simple as they seemed.


	5. Mail

_5. Mail_

Whenever he was bored or simply putting off his enormous amount of work, Roy Mustang would find himself tracing letters with his index finger on the desk in front of him. But when what were once mindless movements formed into actual words, he shook himself from his stupor and quickly slid a sheet of paper in front of him. He took hold of his pen and began to write. Words scrawled across the page, seemingly of their own accord. When Roy looked down, he saw two words repeated over and over.

Riza Hawkeye.

Roy crumpled up the paper and burned it instantly. She never liked love letters anyway.


	6. Alone

**A/N: **This used to be number 20, but I've been writing all these out of order. Hahah… and look! It's a bit longer! I think?

_6. Alone_

She whispered in my ear, "I would die for you."

But I wouldn't let her, because then I'd be alone.

I didn't ever want to let her go, but yet there she was, laying on the cold hard ground with a hand pressed against her bleeding stomach.

"It's getting harder to keep my eyes open," she whispered. "Is this how a person dies?" Her eyes closed.

"No. No Riza," _I said her name. I said it._ "You aren't going to die. I won't let you." I pressed my own two hands against her wound as well, to help slow the bleeding. The blood soaked into my white gloves. "I've called for help. Everything will be okay." I pressed even harder.

Her breath caught. I saw her chest shudder in effort to draw one last breath of air in. I found myself holding my breath with her.

Riza's eyes fluttered open again. I stared long and hard into the depths of her red eyes, for I knew I might never see them again.

And the struggle to survive carried on.


	7. Friends

**A/N:** Manga-centric!

_7. Friends_

Roy and Riza had started out as mere acquaintances, while he was studying alchemy under her father. Everyday he'd tentatively enter the house, nodding his head in Riza's direction before she flitted across the room and shut her bedroom door with a click. He'd continue on into the study, where Hawkeye-sensei was waiting for him.

Every now and then, Roy would hear a clattering sound in the kitchen, interrupting his studies. No more than half an hour later, Hawkeye's daughter would enter the room with a hot meal for both her father and Roy, but would quickly leave without a single word spoken. He didn't even know what her voice sounded like until well after they had first been introduced. He was at first surprised at how mature her voice was, even at a young age. Though thinking back, Roy realized he had never once seen another woman in the household. Riza's mother had died. Her father soon followed.

Roy purchased the fine wood coffin and arranged the funeral, knowing that Riza had gone through enough hardship when she lost her mother. He said it was for his sensei, but it was for the girl all along.

It was the start of a strong friendship, which turned into deep admiration. And it turned into undying loyalty, which turned into devotion.


	8. Past

**A/N:** My longest yet! Which isn't saying much, but still! I'm getting back into writing!

*celebrates*

_8. Past_

Nothing was sacred in this barren land.

Villages burned. So did its people.

She was kneeling in front of a small grave. No, more like a hole in the ground, with the body of a young and innocent child lying buried underneath. Nothing was sacred. It was no grave.

Her back was turned to him, neck exposed. He saw the very top of the array engraved onto her back. The array that granted him power to destroy. That's all the flame alchemy was in the military. Roy's dream would never come true in this wasteland, and nor would Riza's naïve dream to follow.

Riza knew and understood this better than anyone. Even Roy Mustang, the State Alchemist whose fingertips burned at a touch. Another State Alchemist who murdered countless people with his own two hands.

Riza knew the flame alchemy better than anyone, without understanding a word of the text. She bore the casualties on her body, carrying the dead weight of men who fell to her gun and to his alchemy. Each circle on her back burned with a fire unlike any other. Riza knew flame alchemy like she knew her own body. Her own back.

She needed to destroy it, before it could destroy her. And so she knelt there, her uniform top off, and he slipped his glove on.

"I'm sorry." He murmured.

The wind blew. The dust never settled.


	9. Future

**A/N:** Mushiness….. ^^ Ah I couldn't help myself. Royai is too cute!

_9. Future_

Everyone recognized a name in the role call of the dead.

As the reading carried on to honor those whom had passed in the Ishbal war, Roy took notice of a young cadet standing at his side, gun resting on her shoulder. The Fuehrer's voice rang through the air, carried by the wind. She shivered as it passed.

He thought he knew the girl standing in front of him, but suddenly that girl had grown into a woman. He noticed it as she closed her eyes. The curves of her face had sharpened, no longer round and youthful. Her brows arched beautifully above her eyes and her lips were fully shaped. She was a woman.

He wanted to touch her, badly. He knew though, that he couldn't have her. Not now, anyway. Someday in the future, no matter how far away that day might be, he would call her his. They both just had to wait for that day.


	10. Different

**A/N:** Err…….. supposed to be something like Riza writing her feelings in a journal. God, I hate this one. -_- I wanted to finish this whole drabble collection a while ago, but I wound up getting really sick. So now that I'm feeling better, I'll try to finish this!

_20. Different_

We're all people, deep down.

We may be military officers, may be soldiers, but we're people. Different, but the same.

The colonel and I have worked so hard for this reason. It's up to us, and only us to open the eyes of the world and expose the Fuehrer for who he really is. Yet somehow, we've become fugitives, hated by the unknowing people who blindly support the Fuehrer. Even if we were to expose his deception, the blame would still fall on us.

A hero in a time of war becomes a criminal in a time of peace.

I fear that this is where the colonel and I are headed. Though I told him I'd follow him to hell, sometimes I feel as though we're already there. I am not to complain though. I chose this life for myself, and I know that we're different. More different then we've ever been before.

But we, we are the world.

…

…

…

Methinks that the themes I chose aren't very easy for me to write for. ^^;


End file.
